Machine for winding coils



June 4, 1-946.

' K. H. WEBER 2,401,676 MACHINE FOR WINDING COILS Original Filed Aug.3', 1940 TO UPPER PULL EY TO CHUCK INVENTOR. KARL H. WEBER Patented June4, 1946 UNITED STATES PATE MACHINE FOR WINDING coILs Karl H. Weber,Toledo, Ohio Original application August 3, 1940, SerialNo. 350,589.Divided and this application Novemher 6, 1943, Serial No. 509,184 rClaims.

This invention relates to the art of coil windelectrical characteristicsof the coil from a standard. The incontrollability of this method led toa high percentage of rejects which resulted in uneconomical production.1

The present invention contemplates the provision of a. novel machine forwinding coils which will result in a coil having very uniform electricalcharacteristics, in which the resistance, particularly for a givennumber of turns, is held within very close limits. The new machine windscoils very uniform in all respects and is capable of being used byunskilled operators, particu larly operators having such degree of skillas found in modern production lines, for fabricating coils with a verysmall percentage of rejects. The use of the machine has many advantagesover the prior art from the technical point of view, and also allowsproduction of coils which have a better appearance, so that theapparatus to which the coils are-applied have greater salability. i

The present invention further contemplates the provision of a machinefor winding coils by layers, which is very flexible in its applicationand allows variation 1 of the characteristics of the coil, such aschange of wire size. change in the number of turns, change in the bobbindimension etc. without great difliculty or expense such as found in theprior art structures.

In a copending application Serial No. 350,589, filed August 3, 1940(Pat. No. 2,362,179, November '7, 1944) ,by Karl H. Weber; assigned tothe same assignee, of which this application is a division, the methodofwinding coils incorporated in the machineto be disclosed herein isdescribed and claimed. it;

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide amachine for winding coils which gives substantial uniformity inelectrical characteristics of the completed coils and at the same timeis adaptable for use with mass production.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine forwinding coils in which the wire is positioned in the bobbin in evenregular layers with the wires contiguous and substantially touching. i

- sistance of the coils with a given number of turns within a serieswithin very close limits.

It is a further object of this invention to pro-, (3 vide a machine forwinding coils which is very flexible and allows change of wire size,number of turns, size of bobbin, etc., without completely changing thecircumstances under which the coils are being wound.

15 Other objects and advantages of this invention relating to thearrangement, operation and function of the related elements of thestructure, to various details of construction, to combinations of partsand to economics of manufacture, will be ac apparent to those skilled inthe art upon consideration of the following description andappendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forminga part of this specification wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is an elevational view. Figure 2 is a plan view. Figure 3 is anisometric view adjacent the spool.

Referring to the drawing, particularly to Figure 1, a chucking device I0is provided which is driven by an electric motor ll deriving its powerfrom a source of electric current I 2, the motor being under the controlof a manual switch 13 .35 which opens the circuit to the motor and alsounder the control of an automatic switching device M which is driven bythe motor H and enables the chuckto be" stopped after a predeterminednumber of revolutions have been had.

The chuck is provided at its central location with a gripping aperturel5 which is adapted to embrace the threaded stud N5 of a removable spoolll upon which a coil is to be wound. The spool l l is prefabricated andis adapted to be positioned in the chuck In by closing the adjustablechuck parts by means of a screw-tightening device l8 which is manuallyoperable by the operator to insert or remove the threaded stud l6 intothe aperture 15 of the chuck Ill.

The spool or bobbin I1 is provided with transverse heads l9 and 20, thedistance betweenbeing variable depending upon the size of the coildesired. Both heads are preferably stapled or otherwisesuitably attachedto a metallic central spindle-or core 2| which is made of. magnetic NT,oFFicE,

It is a further object of this invention to pro- 5 vide a machine forwinding coils in layers which is cheap and expeditious and maintains there- 2|, so that it will be capable of of screws 23 extending material'such as soft iron. In order to insulate the strands of wire positionedabout the spindle 2| from the heads I9 and 20, insulating discs orplates 22 and 23 are provided. The disc 23 may be, if desired,'positioned loosely upon the spindle being slid longi tudinally along thespindle so as to substantially contact the insulating plate 22. Thepurpose of this structure will be described hereinafter.

Adjacent the front face of the chuck Ill, and positioned paralleltherewith, a flanged vertical plate 26 is provided'which is preferablyrelatively heavy, being fixed to a base member 21 by means through theflanged portion so as to hold the plate very rigidly in juxtapositionwith the chuck Ill. The plate 26 is provided with projecting studs 29and 30 having adiacent their outer end, heads 3| and 32 which preventsheaves 33-and 34, which are mounted upon studs 29 and 3|) respectively,from moving outwardly too far along the studs to become disengagedtherefrom. The studs 29 and 30 extend parallel to the axis of rotationof the spool for at least the length of the spool and are preferablygiven a very high polish so as to make them very smooth and. formsubstantially frictionless journals for the sheaves 33 and 34 which mayvery easily slide along them with very small lateral thrust beingapplied thereto. 'In order to improve this sliding relation, the sheavesare provided with elongated journal members 35 and 36 which are also.highly polished internally to improve the bearings formed for thesheaves 33 and 34.

' The stud 29 is located relatively close to the center of rotation ofthechuck it and is positioned slightly above as is clearly shown inFigure 1. The stud 39, however, is located approximately twice thedistance from the axisof rotation of the chuck I and also is locatedconsiderably higher than the stud 29. I

On the rear side of the plate 26,'an elongated tensioning arm 46 ispositioned, being pivoted about a stud 4| which preferably screws intothe plate 26. Looking at Figure 2, the left end of the arm 40 has itsmotion limited by a stop 42, against which the arm is forced by means ofa resilient spring 43 which cooperates between an aperture 44 in theopposite end of the arm and an anchor on the base 21. At an intermediateposition, preferably relatively close to the aperture 44, a headedelongated stud 45 is provided which is very similar to the headed studs29 and 3|) already described. Upon this stud, another sheave 46 isprovided which is very similar to the sheaves 33 and 34.

The purpose of the sheave 46 isto maintain a. predetermined amount oftension on the continuous strand of wire which is looped thereunder andpartially embraces the sheave 4,6. The tension in the wire is furthermaintained by a tensioning device T which may be of any desirable form,being preferably mounted above the level of the sheave 46 as is clearlyshown in Figure 1. Immediately below the tension device T, a verticalspindle U is provided upon which is mounted a wire spool S, the wirebeing removed from the spool by a rotating device R to prevent snarlingand tangling. The tension device T, the anti-snarling and spool mountingdevices are well known in the art and need not be described in furtherdetail.

The continuous strand of wire from the spool is first'led through theeye E of the anti-snarling device R, thence through the tension deviceT,

with the sheave 33 to form an elongated-loop.

' y r pped by thence downwardly to the bobbin or spool core 2| which itpartially embraces and then cooperates The end of the wire is finallyattached to the 1 bobbin, as is clearly shown in Figure 3, by beingthreaded through an aperture 29a which is formed in the insulating plate22 and the metallic header 20. Forconvenience in mounting this wire inproper relation with the chuck It,

the end of the wire is placed under a leaf springholding device Illawhich is attached to the chuck portion by means of a screw lb. The wireis slipped beneath the spring member Ilia which grips it and holds, itin firm relation during the winding operation; I

After the coil is completely wound, the continuous strand of wire, whichis still connected to the spool S, is pulled forwardly and is thrustunder a holding device 26a which may consist of two leaf springsattached by a screw 26b to the plate 26 as is clearly shown in Figures 1and 2. After the wire is positioned in this holding device, it is cutbythe operator by means of a scissors to free the coil from thecontinuous strand of wire. This loose end is then threaded through anaperture 22a (Figure 3) on a laterally projecting portion of theinsulating plate 22, so that the coil may be prevented from unrollingduring further processes of fabrication.

The operation of the winding device is as fol-. lows: With the chuck IDin relatively open ositlon, the operator mounts a bobbin in the aperturel5, the bobbin previously having the end of the continuous strand ofwire from the spool S threaded through its aperture 20a. Then theoperator tightens the chuck l9 by means of a wrench applied to thetightening device it, so that the projection l6 of the spindle 2| isfirmthe chuck so as to rotate about its true center. The end of the wireis thenpositioned under the holding device lila, so that it is preventedfrom interfering with the winding of the coil while the bobbin is beingrotated at relatively high speed. The operator then takes the wire whichis attached to the bobbin at the aperture 20a and threads the wire overthe sheave 33, beginning at the upper side andcontinuing around thesheave as shown in Figure 3. From the bottom side of the sheave 33, thewire is again led over the spindle 2| and then continues up and isthreaded over the sheave 34. then under the tensioning sheave 46 andinto the tensioning device and spool S as is clearly shown in Figure 1.

It is preferable at this point, before beginning rotation of the bobbin,to insure that the beginning turn of the coil is flatly positionedagainst the insulating plate 22 on the upper end of the bobbin (Figure2) for the operator to slide the lower insulating disc'23 along thespindle 2| to urge the wire against the insulating plate 22 as alreadydescribed. While the operator is momentarily urging the insulating disc23 upwardly (-Figure 2) to accomplish this purpose, the manual switch |3in the motor power circuit is closed and the motor begins to rotate thebobbin in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 1), so that the wire iswound onto the spindle 2| from the upper side of the sheave 33. It willbe clear that the wire, in order to be positioned on the spindle 2|,must continue from the sheaves 46 and 34 first over the spindle 2|thence over the; sheave 33 and then to the winding locationwherej it isplaced upon the spindle 2| in final position under the sheave 46, overthe sheave 34 and 76 inthe bobbin.

' dle 2i and the sheave I wire strand, which urges is located betweenthe spindle 2| and the sheave 33, is wound at all times betweenwireportion 5|, which is located between the spindle 2| and the uppersheave 34 andturn 52 which has just been wound on the spindle by therotation thereof. The wireportion 5!, therefore, has a tendency toconstrict the space in which the wire portion 50 is being wound upon thespindl Zl and hence urges by reaction the wire portion 50 at all timesinto close cooperation with the turn 52 which has just been wound uponthe spindle. This action insures that the turns wound upon the spindle2| are in touching relation with each other as they are being woundthereon.

As the wire is being wound on the spindle 2|, the winding plane advancestoward the second or outer head I9 of the bobbin. In order that therelation between the spindle 2 33 and 34 shall remain substantially thesame in the winding plane as it advances from side to side or from headtQ headQit is essential that the sheaves 33 and 34 and to a lesserextent sheave 4t? shall advance with the winding plane, so that asubstantially parallel relation shall be maintained which will besubstantially normal to the axis of-rotation of the bobbin although aslight lag of the sheaves is observable. The winding plane as itadvances across the spindle places a lateral thrust on the wire strandwhich is sufiicient to move the sheaves particularly sheaves 33 and 34along their mounting-studs 29 and 3|] to maintain the substantiallyparallel relation of the sheaves and the winding plane, or to put it inother wordsfthe normal relation between the wire strand and the windingspindle.

The wire portion supported betweenthe spin- 33, and the wire por tion 5!form a drag member integral with the the wire portion 50 just beingwound upon the spindle into close cooperation with turn 52 which hasjust been wound. The constricting action described above and thereaction upon the wire portion just being wound is caused by the laginmovement of the sheaves 33 and 3% which creates a dragging effect.

This winding action continues until the opposite end of the bobbin isreached, at which time the Wire portion 5! comes into contact withthelower head 23 (Figure 2) of the bobbin and rides up on the wireportion 50 at that instant and then drops back again on the oppositeside of wire portion 58 to maintain thesame relative position betweenthe wire portions. In other words, the wire portion 5! at all timesleads the wire portion 50 and maintains the same constricting actionthroughout the winding of the coil. During the winding of the firstlayer on the spindle 2!, the wire will be as shown in Figure 3 whereinthe wire portion 5i will be on the right of the wire portion 5!] asshown, or referring to Figure 2, the wire portion 5! will be below thewire portion 50. In the second layer, however, the positions willbecause the'direction of winding is reversed. In other words, the wireportion Si in the second layer will be to the left of the wire portion5|] if seen as in Figure 3, or referring to Figure 2; the wire portion5| will be above the wire portion 50. The third layer will followthesequence of the first layer, etc.

. This winding action will continue in layers until the predeterminednumber of turns have been placed upon the bobbin as is established bythe desired electrical characteristics of the finished l and sheaves beexactly reversed coil. This is automatically controlled by the mechanismI4 which includes acounter anda controlling device for the motor II. Itmay act upon the manual switch 13, so that the start of the windingcycle is under the control of the operator, while the termination of thewinding period is at all times under the control of the automatic devicewhich is actuated by the counter when the predetermined number of beenwound uponthe bobbin. At this time. the operator places the continuousstrand under the holding device 26a and cuts the completely wound coilfrom the strand between the holding device 26a and the coil. The end ofthe Wire is then inserted in the aperture 22d as has already beendescribed and the completed coil is removed from the chuck ID byloosening the tightening device l8 with a tool. A new bobbin is theninserted in the chuck and a new winding cycle begins.

It is to be understood that the above detailed description of thepresent invention is intended to carried out in various ways withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. The language used in thespecification relating to the operation and function of the elements ofthe invention is employed for purposes of description and not oflimitation, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the followingclaims beyond the requirements. of the prior art.

What'is claimed:

1. In a machine of the class described. a bobbin upon Which a coil is tobe Wound from a continuous strand, means to rotate the bobbin, arotatable and slidable sheave movable along its axis parallel to theaxis of rotation of the bobbin, the strand to be wound on the bobbinadvancing around the rotating bobbin in contact with the last woundportion and around the rotating sheave and into its final windingposition in the coil forming a loop embracing the bobbin and the sheave,said sheave advancing as the Winding procoeds to maintain the plane ofthe loop in the strand substantially normal to the axis of therotatingbobbin. l 2. In a. device of the class described, a. rotatingbobbin upon which a coil is to be Wound from a continuous strand, meansincluding a portion of strand supply, and movable loop conveying meansto allow the loop to advance forwardly in contact with the convolutionson the bobbin to maintain the loop substantially normal to the rotatingbobbin.

' 3. In a device of the class'describeda rotating bobbin upon which acoil is to be wound from a continuous strand including a cylindricalspindle. means including the spindle of the bobbin to support a loop inthe strand, one bight of the loop embracing the spindle in touchingrelation with the end of the strand moving into winding position on thespindle, and movable loop carrying means to allow the loop to advanceforwardly with the winding location on the spindle of the bobbin as alayer is being formed thereon to turns have maintain the lcopinsubstantially. normal relation with the spindle. 4. In a device of theingbobbin upon which a coil is to be wound from a continuous strandincluding a dyllndrical spindle, means including a rotatable sheave andthe spindle of the bobbin to support a continuous loop in the strand,one bight of the loop embracing the spindle in touching relation withthe portion of the strand which is just being wound on the spindle, andmeans cooperating with the sheave to allow the sheave to slide wherebythe loop is advanced forwardly withthe winding location on the spindleto maintain the loop substantially in normal relation with the spindleof the rotating bobbin.

5. In a, device of the class described, a rotating bobbin upon which acoil is to be wound from a continuous strand of wire, means including aportion of the bobbin to support a continuous loop in the strand 01'wire, one end of the loop mov- .ing the strand into winding position onthe bobbin, the other end of the loop proceeding from the strand supply,resilient means to maintain a predetermined tension on the strand andmeans to allow the loop to advance forwardly with the winding locationon the bobbin to maintain the loop in substantially normal relation tothe rotating i 6. In a machine of the class described, a bobbinincluding a cylindrical spindle upon which a coil is to be wound from acontinuous strand, means to rotate the bobbin, 8. pair of sheaves, meanscooperating with the sheaves to allow rotation thereof and movementalong their aims of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of thebobbin,

class described, a rotat-r continuous strand in several superimposedlayers,

- drag means for the strand cooperating by conmeans to maintain apredetermined tension upon l the strand, said strand advancing over onesheave and then around 'the spindle of the bobbin in touching relationwith the portion which is just being wound on the spindle, thence overthe second sheave and moving therefrom into its final winding positionon the spindle thereby forming a loop in the strand embracing, thespindle of the bobbin and the second sheave, said sheaves being adaptedto advance as the winding proceeds to maintain the plane of the loop insubstantially normal relation to the axis of the spindle of the rotatingbobbin.

.7. The machine defined in claim 6 further characterized by having thesheaves displaced in a manner so that the strand proceeding from thefirst sheave around the spindle of the bobbin is displaced at an angleto the strand portions forming the loop.

B. In a device of the class described, rotatable means upon which a coilis to be wound from a continuous strand in several superimposed layers,drag means integral with the continuous strand cooperating by contactualrelation with the portion just being wound to urge said portion justbeing wound into touching relation with the turn just previously wound,andslidable rotatable carrying meansto advance said drag means as thelocation of winding advances to form a layer.

9. In a device of the class described, rotatable means upon which a coilof wire is to be wound in several superimposed layers from a continuousstrand, drag means for the strand of wire contactually cooperating withthe wire portion just being wound to urge said portion just being woundinto touching relation with the turn just previously wound, slidablerotatable carrying means actuated by the wire portion just being woundtactual relation with the portion of the strand just being wound to urgesaid portion just being wound into touching relation with the turn justpreviously wound, resilient means to maintain i a predetermined tensionupon said strand, and

means to advance said drag means as the location of winding advances toform a layer.

11. In a device of the class described, rotatable means upon which acoil of wire is to be wound from a continuous strand in severalsuperimposed layers, drag means for the continuous strand of wirecooperating by contactual relation with the wire portion just beingwound to urge said por-; tion just being wound into touching relationwith the turn just-previously wound, ,means to maintain a predeterminedtension upon said wire strand, means to advance said drag means as thelocation of winding advances to form a layer, and a layerlength-determining device cooperating with the drag means forautomatically reversing the position of said drag means with referenceto the wire portion Just being wound upon the finishing of a first layerso as to continue in relatively the same position to wind a second layersuperimposed upon said first layer.

12. In a machine of the class described,'a bobbin including acylindrical spindle upon which a coil is to be wound from a continuousstrand in superimposed layers, means to rotate the bobbin, a pair ofrotatable sheaves, means cooperating with the sheaves to allow rotationthereof and movement along their axis of rotation parallel to the axisof rotation 01 the bobbin, means to maintain a predetermined tensionupon the strand being wound, said strand advancing over one sheave andthen around the spindle of the bobbin in touching relation with theportion of the strand which is just being wound on the spindle, thenceover the second sheave and moving therefrom into its flnalwindingposition on the spindle whereby a loop is ,formed in the sti'andembracing the spindle of the bobbin and the second sheave, said sheavesbeing adapted to be advanced by the action of the loop as the windingproceeds to maintain the plane of the loop in substantially normalrelation to the axisof the spindle of the rotating bobbin.

13. The machine defined in claim 12 further I bin including acylindrical spindle upon which a coil is to be wound from a continuousstrand in superimposed layers,.means to rotate the bobbin, a pair ofrotatable sheaves, spindle means cooperating with each of the sheaves toallow rotation thereof and extending longitudinally parallel to the axisof rotation of the bobbin to allow movement of the sheaves in adirection parallel to said axis of rotation of the bobbin, means tomaintain a predetermined tension ,upon the strand, said strand advancingover one sheave and then around the spindle of the bobbin in touchingrelation with the portion of the strand which is just being wound on thespindle, thence A 9 around the second sheave and moving therefrom intoits final winding position on the spindle whereby a loop is formed inthe strand embracing a spindle of the bobbin and the second sheave,

' both of said sheaves being adapted to advance along the spindle meansby a lateral thrust of the strand being wound to maintain the plane ofthe loop in substantially normal relation to the axis of the spindle oithe rotating bobbin as the winding position advances to form the layer.

10 15. The machine defined in claim 14 being further characterized bathird sheave cooperating

